Accommodation companies urged to end demanding deposit from NSFAS funded college students
Accommodation companies urged to end demanding deposit from NSFAS funded college students
Blog Article
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords not to demand a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This comes just after NSFAS obtained reports about some accommodation suppliers who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment as a way to get use of the approved private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation companies of your obligatory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement between the private accommodation providers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS stated in an announcement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the rent will probably be paid month-to-month on the accommodation supplier (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf on the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not call for or permit the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or any other varieties of payment on the lessor, or some other person in connection with this arrangement, which includes payment of rent, though awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse versus the lessee for any default from the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS terms and nsfas status check conditions for private accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded as a result of an incorrect determination by NSFAS, the student will not be answerable for payment of any arrear rent to your accommodation company, up till nsfas tvet the date of being defunded."
NSFAS stated that the place the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding staying defunded by NSFAS, the student will be accountable for payment of lease to the lessor in the date of getting defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS due to a misrepresentation by the lessee/guardian at any stage, the student must immediately vacate the leased property; and will be liable for payment of all rent due to the accommodation provider.
"Where the student moves, accommodation providers without the prior approval more info of NSFAS, NSFAS may elect not to pay any rental to the new accommodation provider, and any such rental payments will be for the student own account," the scheme said.
The scheme emphasised that any dispute arising between the parties regarding the interpretation or implementation of the nsfas academic pathways agreement, must be dealt with in accordance with any dispute resolution procedure determined by more info NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za